Blood Stained Hearts
by Kamiru
Summary: Kaoru is part of the Ishin Shishi as an assassin, along with Battousai. They are the best assassins of the Ishin Shishi as well as rivals. Will they learn to love each other or will they hate each other until they die? *R/R* PG-13 for language and scenes.
1. Chapter One

Kamitari: Hey! This is Kamimura Kaoru's and my account o.O; We write obviously... BxK or KxK fics with this ^___^ Nyao! Anyway... I'll be doing the A/N for this chapter @.@ Eh... The name of this fic is 'Blood Stained Hearts' since this will be Angst and a Romance story. Kaoru is an assassin, along with Kenshin, in the Ishin Shishi! Whoa Oo; We were intrigued... how come women weren't in the war... eh... anyway... On with the story! Kaoru still uses the Kamiya Kasshin Ryuu... though for killing instead of protecting. We don't own Rurouni Kenshin although we wish we did o.o;   
  
Blood Stained Hearts : Welcome to the Darkness  
  
:: + ::  
  
Blood. It was everywhere in Kyoto. It was the Bakumatsu. There was the sound of swords clashing, bodies falling, blood splattering... everywhere. No one was safe... not the men, not the children, not the women. All but one woman. She wasn't exactly who you considered safe but she could take care of herself... for she... was an assassin.  
  
She was merciless. She had no heart. She was as cold as the coldest glacier in the world. She was the Kurai no Musume as she was dubbed by her fellow assassins in the Ishin Shishi, she was Darkness' Daughter. Her fighting style was the Kamiya Kasshin Ryuu, her father's style... but instead of using it to protect people, she was using it against them. Her raven hair was usually held up high in a ponytail so as not to distract her while she continued with her onslaught. Her sapphire blue eyes, always showing no emotion, her face, blank. No one could match her abilities... except one. His name... Battousai... her counter part, her adversary... her partner in the Ishin Shishi. Her name... Kamiya Kaoru... his name... Himura Kenshin.  
  
"Finished already?" mumbled a voice from beneath the shadows, a pair of reddish eyes there as well.   
  
The girl just shrugged as she mumbled, "Go away Ichiro... I don't want to talk to you." She then flung the remaining traces of blood of her katana. She loved to see the blood stain her sword... but she never let it stay there for long due to the fact that her sword might grow red in time.   
  
"Why should I?" replied Ichiro as he finally showed himself in the light. Soon, he walked over towards her, his eyes, roaming around her petite body lustily. As he greedily tried to touch her, she kicked him in the shin as she muttered, "Asshole." Her blue eyes then left the sight of the wincing Ichiro as she walked towards an inn, her feet making no noise at all.  
  
:: + ::  
  
"Bah... too easy," thought Kenshin as he slashed through the bodies of members of the Shinsengumi. He was told to do this while Kaoru was told to kill another group in the eastern portion. He had hoped that the samurai coming from the opposing forces had been tougher than this... this was just too easy for him. Their skills were mediocre compared to his.   
  
"Where the hell is Saitou when you need a good fight," thought Kenshin as he killed the last of the group. Flinging the blood of his sword, Kenshin looked down on the mess of bodies on the ground before heading back to the inn where they were staying. He was the last student of Seijuro Hiko. His fighting style, the Hiten Mitsurugi Ryuu.  
  
As he walked along the dark path... he noticed... it was full of bodies, again, from the Shinsengumi and maybe a few civilians were there laying on the ground... dead. His amber eyes scanned the bodies... familiar slashes were on them. "Kamiya's work," he thought as he quickly brushed past them and entered the inn.  
  
:: + ::  
  
"Would you like some tea, Kamiya-san?" asked a brown haired girl... she was about ten or eleven, no younger. Kaoru looked at the timid girl before nodding her head. The girl nodded as she rushed to the kitchens to get a pot of tea and a glass for Kaoru. Kaoru sighed as she shifted from her position... it was getting uncomfortable just sitting down in the floor for the past thirty minutes or so. Kenshin still wasn't in the inn... until... the door opened anyway. Kenshin's familiar amber eyes and fiery red hair entered the room, everyone but Kaoru cringed at the site knowing that he could just kill them at any given point... either... he felt like it or he was ordered to do so. Most of the time, he killed because he was told to do so but at other times, he killed because he wanted to see blood. No one could contain him... except Kaoru. She was the only person who wasn't scared of facing him because... her abilities matched his perfectly, speed, quick thinking and abilities as a samurai.  
  
"What took you so long," taunted Kaoru as she finally stood up, brushing off some dust which landed on her dark blue gi.  
  
"Tch... it's like you care at all Kamiya," replied Kenshin emotionlessly.  
  
"Took you thirty minutes later than usual... I think it is something that we should know... why you took longer than usual," replied Kaoru, pointing at the time.  
  
"I wanted to see them suffer longer," replied Kenshin as he shot her a 'There-you-happy?' look. Kaoru nodded grimly as the girl from earlier walked over to her, a glass and the pot of tea. Kaoru took it and set them both on the table as the girl scurried off to get Kenshin another pot and glass who mouthed that he wanted one. He and Kaoru never killed any child or woman who was under the care of the Ishin Shishi but if the child or woman wasn't under the care of the Ishin Shishi, they killed them without any hesitation. Kaoru then walked off into the opposite direction as Kenshin sat down in the seat nearest him, waiting for the girl to come back with his tea.  
  
The other samurai were gaping at the conversation of the two best assassins in the Ishin Shishi. They just glared daggers at each other, hands above the hilt of their own sword, as if threatening to kill the other right then and there. Just then, Katsura entered the room.  
  
"Himura, Kamiya, come in here now," he barked out as he pointed towards a secluded room. Kaoru and Kenshin both shot him icy glares saying that they'll go, as soon as they finished their tea. Katsura couldn't take no for answer so he told them the only thing that could make them move, that they would be forced to work together on every damn mission if they didn't cooperate. With those words coming out of Katsura's mouth, Kaoru and Kenshin stood up from their chairs and walked towards the room. They soon reached and tried to push the other out seeing that he/she wanted to enter it first.  
  
"Damn it get out of my way," growled Kaoru menacingly as she eyed him.  
  
"You get out of the way," growled Kenshin in reply as his hand roamed around in order to find the hilt of his sword.  
  
"Let Kaoru pass first, Himura. Ladies first," commanded Katsura. Kenshin unwillingly obeyed as Kaoru shot him a triumphant look.  
  
"Is she even a lady? She's an assassin... like me, but still worse" thought Kenshin as he entered the room after Kaoru.  
  
"What do you want," mumbled Kenshin as he lay back on a wall, his eyes closed.  
  
"Well... you both are being assigned to protect a certain man in order to get to Tokyo. He has to go there since he has a lot of work to do there. You both will be his body guards until he arrives in Tokyo, there, you can leave him in the hands of the other Ishin Shishi guards which are standing by for his arrival," informed Katsura as he set a map down, showing the path they had to take.  
  
"Nani?! You said you wouldn't pair us up in any mission if we followed you earlier," growled Kaoru as she slammed her fist on the table.   
  
Katsura sighed as he said, "Well, it's not my decision. It's only when _I_ am in charge of the mission and I'll be needing either one of you to be in it, that's when you WON'T be partnered. This was Shao's idea... not mine." Kenshin glared at him. Of all people... why her? It would've been better if he had been partnered with the blunder of an assassin, Ichiro.  
  
"Fine," growled Kenshin as his eyes turned into a familiar shade of amber, "When do we leave with whoever we have to protect?"   
  
"Tomorrow, at dawn," replied Katsura. "The name of the official is Taniru Tomoshi."   
  
"Isn't he the man wanted by the Shinsengumi?" asked Kaoru upon hearing the name.  
  
"Aa, that's why you both were assigned to protecting him," replied Katsura as he stood up from his seat, "That gives you tonight and early morning to pack whatever you need, shine your swords and all other preparations that you need to do." Kaoru and Kenshin simply nodded as they rose to leave the room. Kenshin grumbled at the fact that he had to let Kaoru walk out of the room first because she was a girl... she was no ordinary girl though.  
  
"So, what happened in there?" asked a male voice as Kaoru walked out of the room. As she sat down, she glared at him with an ice cold look that could freeze anything.   
  
Kaoru then raised her head as she said, "Yui, get me a glass and a pot of tea." The brown haired girl from earlier nodded her head as she scurried off to get what Kaoru asked for. Kenshin soon emerged from the room and walked quickly towards a wall where he would probably lean on until a hand wrapped firmly around his wrist.  
  
:: + ::  
  
: ~ : Kenshin's POV : ~ :  
  
As the hand wrapped firmly around my wrist, my eyes turned a slight amber color and I turned my head around to see to whom it belonged to. Seeing a familiar black-haired girl with gray eyes, I muttered, "Get your hand off me Chidori-san." She looked at me and shook her head.  
  
"No, I won't. I have your wounds to heal," she replied.  
  
"How about Kamiya's... how about her wounds... why tend to mine first..." I spat as he shrugged her hand off of my wrist.  
  
"I don't know... It's more fun to treat yours," she replied with a teasing tone. Not that she really liked him or anything but it was fun to annoy him... up to a certain extent.  
  
"I could just kill you right now Ameyama Chidori," I growled as my hand grasped the hilt of a sword. Ameyama shook her head in fear as she walked over towards Kamiya in order to treat the wounds she received from earlier's venture. I shrugged and walked off towards the wall where eyes looked at me.  
  
"What?" I growled as I finally broke the silence.  
  
"What did Katsura tell you both earlier?" asked Ichiro. He wanted to become a top assassin, like me, I just don't see it in him to be like me.   
  
"We're being assigned to guard Taniru for his trip to Kyoto," mumbled Kenshin as his eyes turned to that familiar shade of amber once more.  
  
"Can I go with you?" asked Ichiro with a slight hint of hope in his voice as he wanted to see the two of us kill and slaughter people with our own hands. I sighed and looked at Kamiya. I saw her have a grim look on her face, saying no. Not that we agree on things very often but this time, Ichiro was too clumsy. We couldn't afford for Taniru to die because of one being.  
  
"No, you can't come with us Ichiro. We're not supposed to let you go with us," I replied. That was partially lying since Katsura said we could take anyone else with us. Kaoru didn't hear that but I'd tell her later... when the time comes. Ichiro growled as he slumped down on the floor, across from me sensing I was still agitated by his earlier question... if he could tag along.  
  
:: + ::  
  
: ~ : Normal POV : ~ :  
  
"Are you done yet?" asked Kaoru impatiently as Ameyama finished bandaging her right forearm.  
  
"Almost. Be patient Kamiya-san," replied Ameyama as she applied some medicine to wounds on her other forearm. Kaoru winced a little due to the fact that the medicine stung a little. Kaoru sighed as she fixed the swords on her left.   
  
"Done," announced Ameyama as she stood up straight, wiping away beads of sweat from her forehead. Kaoru then stood up as she walked towards another chamber, where the stairs were found in order to get to her room. She had finished her tea while her wounds were being tended too.  
  
"Kuso! Why do I have to be partnered with him?!" cursed Kaoru mentally as she climbed to stairs to her room. She had only one thing to pack with her... an extra set of clothes. Kaoru walked towards her room when Ichiro appeared... again.  
  
"What do I have to do to get you out of my life, Ichiro?" growled Kaoru as she walked along the hall.  
  
"Nothing... because I want you," replied Ichiro as he eyed her lustily. Kaoru groaned mentally as she kicked him in the stomach, causing him to curl up on the floor, trying to catch his breath.  
  
"You should learn that I will never learn to love an asshole like you," mumbled Kaoru as she entered her room in order to get a dark blue gi and a hakama out and packed into an extremely small bag. Soon, Kaoru was sitting down on her bed, thinking of things like why she was in the Ishin Shishi and why she disobeyed her father's wishes.  
  
: ~ : Flashback; Kaoru's POV : ~ :  
  
"Tou-san! Where are you?" I shouted as I ran through the dojo. My father was a sensei of kendo, his style, the Kamiya Kasshin Style. He taught it to me when I was young, I was thirteen at the time. My father was in the dojo, looking at the wooden plaques hanging on the wall.  
  
"Yes Kaoru?" my father replied as he turned to face me.   
  
"Will you join the war?" I asked timidly as the wind blew.  
  
My father shook his head. "And neither will you," he said finally as he grasped my shoulders, "I don't want to lose you." I smiled a little and nodded. Soon, I was told to go outside and help my mother cook food.  
  
"Kaa-san! Why won't father join the war?" I asked as I helped her wash some radishes.   
  
My mother looked at me with her blue eyes and said, "He sees no point in joining it. He'll be fine here." I nodded grimly as the thought of joining the war appealed to me. I had mastered all the moves of the Kamiya Kasshin Ryuu even up to the succession technique. I was as good at wielding a bokken, shinai and a sword as my father at this young age of thirteen. I was also gifted with a god-like speed. Soon, my mother was cooking the food and she told me to go out and do the other things I wanted before it was dinner. The war had been going on for a few months now and I see bloodshed on the streets everyday. I heard that the man who was responsible for this was called 'Battousai' due to the fact that he had mastered all the invented Battou Jutsu techniques. I also head that his sword style was unheard of, that only few people are ever able to master it. I soon walked out towards the well.  
  
Should I join it or not? Why am I debating on this, tou-san said I shouldn't so I won't. But... I don't feel complete here... as if I want to kill people on my own... as if my heart yearns for bloodshed caused by my own hands... for me to stain my hands with the scent of human blood. Anyway, I heard the Restoration is doing this for the good of the majority. Mou... but they'll never accept me... I'm a girl... a young girl. But it never hurts to try to join it right? But what about tou-san and kaa-san? I should tell them later tonight... after dinner... I don't care anymore if they'll get mad at me or not... this is what I believe in.  
  
"Kaoru, its dinner time," called out my mother as she poked her head out of the dining area. I nodded happily as I ran towards them... possibly this being the last time I'll be eating with them as a family... before their anger pours out on me because of my decision.  
  
After dinner, I set down my chopsticks and said, "I have something to tell you both." My face darkened as the time drew near for me to reveal my decision.  
  
"What is it Kaoru?" said my father with a kind face. It broke my heart to tell them this but I needed to. This question has been bothering me since the beginning of the war.  
  
"I... I... I'm going to join the war... with the Ishin Shishi," I blurted after a few moments silence. With those words, my father... from his kind and demure state... he became angry and violent.  
  
"Nani?! Kaoru! I told you that you wouldn't!" my father spat angrily.  
  
I stood up in order to face him. "I know! But this is what I believe in! You can't force me to believe in something else!" I argued in return.  
  
"You will NOT join the war, Kaoru," my father said angrily as he grasped my wrist so tightly that it hurt. I shook my father's hand off and ran out the door as I heard my mother call out, "Kaoru! Kaoru!" Their words had fallen on deaf ears, I had ignored them. Running to my room, I changed into a dark blue gi and a pair of white hakama, I put two swords on the left side, those two swords used to be my father's but he had stopped using them. Tying my hair into a pony tail, I ran out the streets in order to join the Ishin Shishi.  
  
When I arrived there and asked if I could join them as an assassin, they surprisingly accepted me. They somehow knew I had slashed my way through the path. I had killed over ten skilled warriors... warriors who were much older than me and supposedly better than me. A red-haired youth approached me, his eyes, an amber color. I shivered in fear. I realized who he was.   
  
"You?! You're Battousai?! But... you're not much older than me. I had heard Battousai was near his thirties," I blurted out as I realized who the boy was.  
  
"That's what most people think Kamiya-san. Most people don't realize I'm just a youth... like you... because I kill all witnesses before they can say who I really am," he replied coldly.  
  
"Aa. Ano... My name is Kamiya Kaoru, you are?" I said.  
  
"Himura Kenshin if you must know. Now, I will leave you for your training as an assassin Kamiya-san. I have much more work to do. I'll be seeing you around," replied Kenshin as he turned his back on me, his black gi slightly crumpled. I nodded as I turned to face the man who would train me.  
  
A few months had passed and I became the second best assassin... second because Kenshin was still better than me. During those months, Kenshin grew to hate me because I was going to be as good as he. I grew to hate him because he was always so cold and arrogant when I tried to spark up a conversation... then again... assassins are usually like that. About a month later, it was proclaimed that Kenshin and I had the exact same skills as an assassin... it was that fateful day that it was also proclaimed... silently though... that we were rivals.  
  
: ~ : End of Flashback; Normal POV : ~ :  
  
"So that's why I left home," thought Kaoru as she lay on her bed to sleep. All assassins were extremely light sleepers so any sound made they could hear it and they woke up to either kill the spy or to talk to whoever needs to talk to them.  
  
:: + ::  
  
Kamitari: DONE! I hope you guys liked the first chapter ^__^ I did! Anyway... yeah yeah... it's flash-back-y XD Now you pretty much know why Kaoru is in the Ishin Shishi ^__^ Review please! It would be greatly appreciated ^__^ 


	2. Chapter Two

Kamitari: Again! I'm writing the A/N for this story @.@ Maybe Kao-chan (I call her that instead of Kamimura Kaoru) will write the third or fourth... she'll be writing one of the next chapters anyway. Eh! Kaoru disobeyed her father! That is different from the anime... Kaoru would do anything to uphold her family's honor o.o; Eh... anyway! We still don't own Rurouni Kenshin no matter what we do *sigh* Anyway! Hope you like chapter two ^__^  
  
Blood Stained Hearts : The Way of the Assassins  
  
:: + ::  
  
: ~ : Kenshin's POV : ~ :  
  
"What's taking that tanuki so long?!" thought Kenshin wildly as he walked quietly through the wooden corridors. It was four in the morning. They would be leaving in a few moments and still, she wasn't awake and walking to where they were supposed to meet. Just then, he saw familiar tresses of raven black hair in front of him, a girl, obviously pouting, in front of him.  
  
"What took you so long? I've been waiting for the past hour," pouted the girl grimly. It wasn't Kaoru since she, of course, wouldn't pout in front of him. She was too strong-willed to do so and she wouldn't succumb to the fact that she had a weakness for children. She had a younger brother before, but he died because of a sickness.  
  
"What the hell do you want from me bitch?" I spat out angrily as I tried to get away from the girl. The girl was about eighteen or so and a very talented person in her profession.  
  
"Why should I, Himura-san," the girl replied, eyeing him with an evil glint as well as wrapping her hand tightly around my wrist. Just then, another raven haired girl, younger than me, that I'm sure of, appeared.   
  
"What? You hitching on her now, Himura?" smirked the other girl as she pointed towards the one holding my wrist.   
  
"Dream on, Kamiya. Tell me, what would find attractive in Chidori?" I spat back.   
  
Kaoru just smirked as she replied, "I don't know. Her ability as a good doctor I suppose." I glared at her icily. If I wanted a girl, it wouldn't be Chidori... she wasn't my type... and anyway... who was? Maybe I'll hitch onto an assassin... wait a minute... Kaoru's the ONLY female assassin in the Ishin Shishi. I wouldn't even dream of going to the Shinsengumi to beg for... damn... what's her name... oh yes... Yukishiro Tomoe... for Tomoe to be my girl.  
  
"Himura-san. Let's go already," whined Ameyama as she tugged on the sleeve of my gi. I eyed her suspiciously. Nowadays, she seemed to be getting closer than before... as if it wasn't just because I looked like her brother.  
  
"I have a mission to get to," I said murderously as I flung my arm off of her grasp. I then eyed Ameyama icily and brushed past Kaoru in order to get to the room where Taniru was staying.  
  
"What... seriously... did you think for a moment he'd like you?! Of all the people in the world?!" mocked Kaoru as she eyed Ameyama. I had stayed behind for a while to hear their conversation.  
  
"I have a better chance than you, Kamiya-san," Ameyama replied grimly.  
  
Kaoru just scoffed. "Do you THINK I even want a chance with the guy? I don't like him... I HATE him," yelled Kaoru, stressing the word hate. I winced internally. Not that it bothered me but it just sort of hurt me to hear that someone hated me. I've never been around long enough around people to hear them say that to me. I am seriously not a people person. I then took off towards the room before Kaoru could catch me spying on their conversation.  
  
: ~ : Normal POV : ~ :  
  
Kaoru just huffed as she walked towards Taniru's room. She was not seriously this pissed off for a really long time. The last time she recalled ever being this annoyed or close to it anyway, was when Kenshin killed the bird she was nursing back to health. She may be an assassin, one who enjoys seeing blood, a lot of blood, spew out of human bodies but she was merciful to the animals. It's not like they could do anything about human actions.  
  
"I seriously want to send the girl to the next world!" thought Kaoru wildly as she walked towards Taniru's room.   
  
Ameyama glared at Kaoru's retreating figure but kept quiet knowing that at any point that a person crossed the temper line of either Kenshin or Kaoru, in a split second, they would be dead. She then huffed and turned around and made her way to the room where she would be treating the wounded assassins.  
  
:: + ::  
  
"Damn it, where are they?!" cursed Taniru nervously as he paced around his room.   
  
"Sir! One of the two assassins is here!" informed one of the Ishin Shishi members. Taniru looked behind his shoulder and saw a patch of flaming red hair, then; it disappeared from his view and appeared right in front of him.  
  
"Ba-ba-ba-battousai!" said Taniru with a loud gulp. He was nervous because he knew, no one could contain Battousai unless it was the Kurai no Musume... then again... no one could contain her either other than Battousai. With both around, they were harmless to the one they were protecting but deadly to their opponent.  
  
"What time are we leaving," growled Kenshin as his eyes became no more than slits.   
  
"In thirty minutes," replied Taniru nervously. He didn't like to have both assassins around him but he needed to because he needed to get to Tokyo safely. Kenshin nodded grimly as he took off towards a wall to lean back on. Just then, the door slid open revealing a familiar raven haired assassin standing, obviously very ticked off.   
  
"What? Chidori ticked you off?" taunted Kenshin with a smirk. Only Kenshin was ever able to safely taunt her without getting killed. Same goes for Kaoru except... she taunts him.  
  
"What... that girl seriously ticks me off... baka," mumbled Kaoru as she threatened to draw her sword out. Kenshin simply smirked as he pointed towards an empty wall where she could lean her back. Kaoru huffed and walked over towards the wall.  
  
Taniru looked nervously at the warring assassins before he said, "We'll leave now." Kenshin and Kaoru just looked icily at the official before nodding and standing up. Taniru shrugged a little before exiting the room.   
  
"Well, good luck in your mission," said Ichiro sarcastically as the two assassins stepped out of the room.  
  
"Just go do your own assigned mission Ichiro before I kill you," growled Kaoru as her hand rested on the hilt of her sword. Ichiro backed away fearfully, seeing Kaoru's eyes, which were full of anger and hate. As soon as the mediocre assassin was gone, Kaoru stood up straight and walked to where Taniru was waiting.   
  
"Taniru-san, we're ready," said Kenshin emotionlessly as he positioned himself in the lower left of the carriage. Kaoru took the lower right. The high public official merely nodded as he entered the carriage. Another assassin entered the interior of the carriage, in case the Shinsengumi decided to attack from inside, not from outside. Kaoru looked at the building that they were about to leave, not really caring whether or not they were leaving it, but just to take a good look at it, before her vision was stained with blood once more.  
  
About five minutes later, the carriage was on its way to Tokyo, Kaoru and Kenshin, walking silently and quickly behind the carriage. Everyone who had seen them, froze in their spots, as if they saw the two worst devils at that exact moment, when the two assassins passed by. It was easy to understand them, knowing that Kenshin and Kaoru would just kill anyone, anyone whom they were ordered to kill, or anyone who just pissed them off. Kenshin looked at the scared faces of the townspeople and smirked, smirked at their fear of a regular teenager, one who had no conscience, one who would kill.  
  
About thirty minutes later, they were in the outskirts of town. This town was pretty close to Tokyo so in about another hour. So why ask Kenshin and Kaoru escort Taniru? This forest was crowded with the Shinsengumi and Taniru was a wanted man by them. He had something important locked in his mind, that only he knew, and today, other than signing an important document, he was going to say that important secret to the rest of the high government officials. The secret was about a certain amount of wealth. The Shinsengumi wanted it, so they needed Taniru to direct them to the treasure.  
  
"Matte," commanded Kenshin icily as he stopped walking. Kaoru didn't hesitate in stopping. The others just continued on for a while until three men from the Shinsengumi appeared, swords drawn out.  
  
"Stop. Bring out Governor Taniru and your lives would be spared," said one of the men haughtily.  
  
"Over my dead body you Shinsengumi scum," countered one of the men of the Ishin Shishi as he drew his sword out. Soon, the two were fighting, blood started spewing. Kaoru had already killed two of the men when a black haired man appeared right in front of her, a raven haired woman in a gi and hakama behind him.   
  
Kenshin, after killing the men after him, walked over to where Kaoru was standing and mumbled, "Whatever you have to say to the Ishin Shishi, say it with your sword, bastard."  
  
"Don't you dare call my fiancé a bastard," growled the woman behind the black haired man.  
  
"Oh, and who is your fiancé," mumbled Kaoru as her hand rested on the hilt of her sword.  
  
"Kiyosato Akira," growled the woman.  
  
"Didn't I just say that whatever you want to say to us, say it to us with your swords, your message will be clear, and so will ours since we will kill you," growled Kenshin as his eyes turned a fierce amber.  
  
"Fine, Tomoe, be a dear and handle the bitch over there," said Akira as he unsheathed his sword and jabbed his finger towards Kaoru.  
  
"Hmph, you really don't know who I am," said Kaoru as she faced Tomoe squarely.  
  
"I really don't, and I really won't care," growled Tomoe as she unsheathed her sword.  
  
"You," said Kaoru as she pointed at Tomoe, "Yukishiro Tomoe. Shinsengumi's only female assassin. Called Tomoe by everyone. Second Class Assassin. Sword Skills, level B." Tomoe looked at the cold Kaoru, slightly scared because her opponent knew her vital statistics.  
  
"You, on the other hand," said Kaoru as she faced Akira, "Kiyosato Akira. One of the Shinsengumi's top assassins. Called Akira by everyone, sometimes Kiyosato. Second Class Assassin. Sword Skills, level B." Akira looked at Kaoru, slightly dumbfounded.  
  
"Now, our turn," said Kenshin icily as he gestured towards Kaoru, "Kamiya Kaoru. Top Female Assassin of the Ishin Shishi. Fighting Style, Kamiya Kasshin Ryuu. First Class Assassin. Sword Skills, Level A. Feared by everyone who knows her. Her name, Kurai no Musume." Kaoru glanced icily at Akira and Tomoe, who started to shiver slightly unnoticed.  
  
"Me," said Kenshin as he jabbed a finger at his chest, his other hand, running through his cross-scar, "Himura Kenshin. Top Male Assassin of the Ishin Shishi. Fighting Style, Hiten Mitsurugi Ryuu. First Class Assassin. Sword Skills, Level A. Feared by everyone who knows me. My name, Battousai." After all that, Kenshin lunged at Tomoe while Kaoru lunged at Akira, in order to confuse their enemies. Sure, they hate each other to the bones and would want to kill each other someday, but they had been ordered to work together and they couldn't go against the word of their superiors so they had learned to harmonize with each other through the sword. When not in battle, they would never talk each other let alone look at each other. Five minutes later, Kaoru and Kenshin had been cut here and there while their opponents were cut with several deep slashes.  
  
"Is that the best the Shinsengumi can offer? Damn, you bastards were too easy," cursed Kaoru as she inched forward, her sword held in such a way that one strike would kill whoever was in front of it.  
  
"You haven't seen the last of us!" growled Akira as he held his wounded arm with his hand.  
  
"Oh yes we have. Have a good sleep, bastard," growled Kaoru as she sent her sword forward, slicing Akira in a vital part, killing him instantly.  
  
"Now, your turn. As much as I don't want to do this to a woman... actually... I do want to do it... I'm sorry it has to be you. Oyasumi, bitch," growled Kenshin as he stood in his killing stance and lunged at a desperate Tomoe. She wanted to run away, but she couldn't. Dying at the hands of Battousai had more honor than running away from him. Kaoru and Kenshin looked at the bodies of their dead opponents emotionlessly. Flinging the blood off their swords, the pair sheathed them and was back on their way to Tokyo. Taniru had arrived safely and the troupe was back on their way to Kyoto.  
  
It was nighttime when they had reached the outskirts of Tokyo. They had walked through the whole place because Taniru needed to go to the other end. It was just an hour and a half away from the border of Kyoto and Tokyo when they decided to pitch camp and sleep there. Kaoru had gone out to gather some firewood when Kenshin's ice cold voice stopped her from doing so.  
  
"Where do you think you're going?"  
  
"To collect firewood. As if you care."  
  
"Its better if we both go. You can't handle fifty Shinsengumi at this point. We've all been tired out."  
  
"Fine. As long as you don't get it my way, fine." Kenshin merely nodded, knowing that he wouldn't even dare doing so anyway. They were in the denser part of the forest a while later. When they had collected enough firewood, they wandered about the forest together until they got lost. Kaoru pretty tired out after trying to find their way back, dropped to the ground and fell back on a tree, breathing heavily.  
  
"What's wrong with you?" asked Kenshin as his eyes rested on Kaoru.  
  
"Nothing. I just am like this sometimes, really dizzy," explained Kaoru as she got up. Kenshin nodded at her answer and tried to find a way out. It was daybreak when they realized that they were lost, far away from where their troupe was. They were lost, in the middle of the forest.  
  
:; + ::  
  
Kamitari: I hope you liked that chapter. Took me more than a week to write it .x I was uninspired .x Bwah. Anyway, wonder why the last part is so un-long .x And why didn't I describe the battle between AkiraxKaoru and KenshinxTomoe. Eh... to lazy @.@ Anyway, review so the next chapter can be posted soon! 


	3. Chapter Three

Kamitari: Weee! Chapter three! Hnnn... I'll be writing this story until Kao-chan is unbusy with school. Oh yeah, by the end of May, for probably about a week, I'll be on vacation so if you see me NOT updating ANY of my fics, gomen minna-san. Anyway, Chapter three! Woot .x Hnn... I'll try and make this chapter longer than the first two, but if it isn't or it's just as long, gomen minna-san. Oh yesh, Sano appears here, about however old he was during the Bakumatsu and he doesn't have a grudge... well... yet... on Kenshin and Kaoru since he's never seen them before. Though other than a few chapters, he won't really be a major chapter. Gomen to all the Sano-fans ^__^;;;; Oh yeah! Kenshin is eighteen and Kaoru is seventeen so this fic is partially AU .  
  
Blood Stained Hearts : Why Am I Starting to Like You?  
  
:: + ::  
  
Kaoru and Kenshin were looking for a place to stay in the manga. Sure. The two best assassins in the Bakumatsu, getting lost. It was either they were careless enough to get lost in the forest, or this was the Mizuwata Forest, the forest in which everyone, whoever strayed from the main path, got lost, no matter how skilled they were, they got lost.  
  
"Kamiya. Can this be the Mizuwata Forest?" asked Kenshin icily as he turned to face the raven haired assassin.  
  
"Possibly. We have to get back to Kyoto," replied Kaoru nonchalantly as she cleared some of the branches using her sword. Kenshin just smirked at her actions. Here was a girl, who had gotten dizzy earlier, trying to act as if nothing happened, when it was evident that something did. Her slashes weren't as quick as before, they didn't need to be but Kaoru usually insisted that they needed to be as precise, her steps were slightly noticeable, unlike when she wasn't dizzy, her voice, slightly louder than usual.  
  
"You should take a break," said Kenshin as he started to cut of three branches. Kaoru looked at her counterpart, slightly frozen in her place. Did Kenshin *seemingly* just care for her? And anyway... why?  
  
"Why did I just seem so nice to her?! Damn this... anyway... maybe because... no... It'll never happen," thought Kenshin as he cut off more branches. Kaoru smiled a really tiny smile before following the red haired assassin. Soon, they were in the middle of the forest, well, to them it was the middle anyway. When they reached it, they saw a clear blue lake and a hut. The hut was fairly large, large enough to room them both, and was abandoned, but not too long ago.  
  
"There, we can stay there," said Kaoru as she pointed to the hut which Kenshin hadn't noticed due to the fact that he was looking the other side. Kenshin's glance was soon directed to the abandoned hut and started scanning it for any faults of any kind. A while later, the hut had passed his inspection and he was on his way to enter it. Kaoru stayed behind in order to scan their surroundings.   
  
"It's not that bad, I mean, it sort of reminds me of home, with my parents, slightly painful but not that bad," remarked Kaoru quietly as she started to walk towards the hut. Soon, she heard the bushes rustling about quietly, and some murmurs and mumbles as well. Kaoru, slightly worried but more of annoyed, decided to check it out. She walked slowly to where the sound was coming from. She cleared the bushes by pushing them away and behind them, revealed a boy, probably about nine or ten, bruised, battered and extremely wet.  
  
"Who are you," commanded Kaoru as she held the hilt of her sword tightly, though not unsheathing the weapon.  
  
"Sa-sa-sagara Sanosuke," mumbled the boy, trying to get up. The name struck her as something which she heard before. Wasn't Sagara the family name of the captain of the fake force? And why does this boy have his family name? Possibly related, or just someone who wanted to pick up the man's family name.  
  
"Are you lost or something?" asked Kaoru, still not removing her hand from the hilt, her voice, icy. The boy merely shook his head.  
  
"I was pushed into the river by Sagara Taishou," said Sano quietly, fidgeting a little in his place. Kaoru didn't really feel as sorry for the boy as most people would have, hence the fact that she was an assassin.  
  
"Come. I'll give you some medicine to treat your wounds," said Kaoru nonchalantly. She was sort of treated like this by her father when he had heard that she wanted to join the war. Sano, after standing up, blinked at the assassin and ran off to walk slowly behind her. Kenshin had gone out to see what the hell took Kaoru so long. He saw her, not smiling, her hand above the hilt of her sword, and a little boy following closely behind her.  
  
"Who's the kid?" asked Kenshin, still not removing his gaze from the lake.  
  
"A former member of the Sekihoutai," said Kaoru nonchalantly as the two arrived in the porch. Kenshin merely nodded, knowing that everyone else was massacred in a single night, except for this boy. The other members of the Ishin Shishi didn't see it fit to try and kill the boy since he really wouldn't cause them harm, even the tiniest percent of it; he brought no threat to them. Sano fidgeted uncomfortably a little bit before he was dragged into the interior by Kaoru. Soon, he was told to sit on the floor while Kaoru fetched some bandages and some boiling water for the boy to use to clean his wounds.  
  
"You can leave here when you want, we don't expect you to stay but if you wish to, it's your choice," said Kaoru nonchalantly as she set the bowl, the cloth and the bandages in front of the boy. Sano nodded and started to tend to his wounds while Kaoru left the interior. Sano looked at the retreating figure before sighing and turning back to tending his own wounds.  
  
:: + ::  
  
"Why'd you say that to the boy?" asked Kenshin, demanding to know her reasons.  
  
"I once was like that when I was small, a past that only I should ever encounter. I don't want the boy to go thinking that he is unwanted by everyone, unlike me. I am unwanted by everyone, even my own parents have closed their doors to me, they will never forgive me for joining the war," explained Kaoru as she tried not to remember her past. Kenshin merely nodded at the words of Kaoru, not really wanting to know, and yet, wanting to know as well. Kaoru looked at Kenshin slightly and fixed her gaze back at the lake.   
  
"Ano, I didn't catch your name," said Sano as he exited the interior, getting the attention of both assassins.  
  
"Kamiya Kaoru," said Kaoru nonchalantly.  
  
"Himura Kenshin," said Kenshin as he took a brief look at the boy. He had a normal build, dark brown hair, brown eyes and a slight grin plastered on his face. He was fairly tall for a boy his age and he was pretty strong.  
  
"Hey, boy, what's your name?" asked Kenshin nonchalantly as he faced the slightly terrified Sano.  
  
"Sagara Sanosuke, Himura-san," replied Sano, slightly shaking due to fear. He had seen them both have two swords at the side and he knew they were assassins, either working for the Shinsengumi or the Ishin Shishi. Kenshin merely nodded at the boy. Kaoru wasn't paying attention because she was thinking of her past, again. Not the flashback sort of thinking, but just thinking on her beliefs, on why she wanted to join the Ishin Shishi, why she liked to see blood spew out of people's bodies, why she enjoyed to see them die at her hands.  
  
Sano still stuck around, surprisingly, offering to do the chores such as chop some firewood, clean the house, make some tea, and the sort. Kaoru was sort of glad he decided to stay on a little longer because she really couldn't do this all on her own. She was basically cleaning the kitchen when Kenshin entered with six medium sized fish, two for each of them. He set it down in the table near Kaoru before walking off to wherever he wanted to stay. He definitely wasn't a people person. Kaoru looked at the fish and saw that it was big enough to fry and have a decent meal with ( Kamitari: I *know* she can't cook but come on, it's partially AU .x and how would they survive .x ).  
  
Soon, the fire was going and Kaoru was starting to cook their dinner. As much as she didn't want to, she had to feed Kenshin or the Ishin Shishi superiors would demote her to something that she didn't even want to think about. Assassin's Assistant. For a first class assassin, being demoted to a level like that means shame, shamed forever in the world, shamed to a point that you'd rather kill yourself than live being demoted. Kaoru was just about to put the fish into separate bentos when Sano came in, slightly tired.   
  
"Sano, the food is ready," said Kaoru emotionlessly as she pointed to a bento filled with food. Sano nodded thankfully as he walked up to get his share. Kenshin was called, not by word of mouth, but he felt that dinner was ready and he knew that Kaoru wouldn't bother calling him, even if she did cook his dinner. When Kenshin arrived where they were eating, Kaoru and Sano were already eating their dinner; his was left near the table. Soon, he started to eat his own dinner.  
  
"Good food," thought Kenshin as he popped a piece of fish into his mouth. It was really good, not too salty, not to bland, not too burnt, and not too moist. Kaoru and Sano were finished with their meals already. Sano stood up and left to be excused, leaving Kaoru and Kenshin alone in the kitchen.  
  
"This place is loaded," murmured Kaoru as she thought of the fact that everything they needed was there, as if the place was really meant to be there. Kenshin looked at Kaoru slightly, still eating.  
  
"God she looks so pretty like that... wait... why am I thinking of this?! I hate her!" thought Kenshin wildly as he set his bento down, inside were his chopsticks. Soon, he was standing up, and walking towards his room.  
  
"Matte, Himura," said Kaoru as she stood up, telling Kenshin to stop.  
  
Kenshin looked behind his shoulder and said, "What?"  
  
"Well, who will guard tonight? Who knows who'll be coming here," asked Kaoru, not fidgeting from her spot.  
  
"I'll take the first shift; you can take the second shift. I'll wake you up when it's your turn," informed Kenshin as he waved his hand behind him. Kaoru merely nodded as she made her way to a room where she would be sleeping for the night. Kenshin watched her back in order to see where she was going before making his way out of the hut and standing guard outside. As he reached the exterior, he searched for a spot where he could stay. He sat down near the door, his back facing the wall.  
  
:: + ::  
  
"He's starting to be nicer than usual," thought Kaoru as she sat down in the middle of her room, on top of the futon. She, for some reason, started to like the assassin a little more, each time she saw him. She had slapped herself mentally each time, saying, that he was her rival and she was his rival, somehow, her heart just didn't want to listen. Kenshin looked as if she could confide all her secrets to him, and he would understand, not laugh at her, not mock at her, she was unsure if it would really happen or not. She didn't know, and wouldn't know until only time can say that it'll happen.  
  
She was going to fall asleep soon. She decided to sleep right then and there, so she could get back her much needed stamina.  
  
:: + ::  
  
: ~ : Flashback; Older Kaoru's POV : ~ :  
  
The wind was caressing my face gently when I heard a voice.  
  
"Kaoru! Come here! You need to practice!" said the voice kindly. I looked around. I looked at my hands, I saw that they were calloused in places where I had gripped my sword tightly when it hit me, this was a dream. A younger version of me, probably about seven or eight years old, ran towards the voice, smiling happily, in my hand, a bokken. I knew that it was my father calling for me. I walked quietly behind my younger self, my swords, making no sound at all.  
  
"Tou-san! I'm ready!" said my younger self cheerfully as she positioned herself in a familiar stance. I walked past my father to see if he could see me. He couldn't. Only I could really see what was happening. I waved my hand in front of my younger self and sure enough, it didn't faze her. I decided to join her actions. My father gave the signal with which we began the attack. My movements were more fluid and continuous because I had done this so many times. The smaller version of me was unable to execute the move and I slightly winced internally, remembering how patient my father was in training me under the Kamiya Kasshin Ryuu. I usually was with his class when he taught and he was patient with us all and if I was hurt or taunted by anyone of my male classmates, my father would defend me, saying that it didn't matter if the student was a girl or a boy; it mattered on how we used our knowledge.  
  
After about an hour-long training session, my younger self was talking to my father. I tried to make my way towards them when everything grew older, except me. My younger self grew to the age of thirteen; I just turned thirteen when the war started. It was August or September when I left home to join the Ishin Shishi.  
  
"Tou-san, why is there a war? What's the point in this?!" Kaoru said, her lower lip trembling.   
  
"Well, one side believes this, the other believes of the complete opposite. They're angry with each other; they want to kill each other. The two groups, the Ishin Shishi and the Shinsengumi, both are fighting for what they believe in, Kaoru," explained her father.  
  
"Well, tou-san, who do you think is right?" asked Kaoru as she faced her father.  
  
"I think the Ishin Shishi is right, but the Shinsengumi has points that the Ishin Shishi think is useless. Why do you ask, Kaoru?"  
  
"Oh, nothing," replied Kaoru as the beliefs of the Ishin Shishi flashed through her mind. They were the very same beliefs she had had since she was a child. I looked over at my younger self, silently murmuring all the beliefs I was fighting for, the beliefs that powered me to do what I had to do, to kill. Soon, the scene she had been dreaming about for the past five years had flashed in front of her mind. How she had disobeyed her father and ran to join the war, blood, staining her vision terribly. This is what gave her those headaches; the fact that this very past haunted her.  
  
:: + ::  
  
: ~ : End of Flashback; Normal POV : ~ :  
  
A blood curdling scream was heard in the house near midnight. Kenshin, who was a very very light sleeper, woke up and sensed that something wrong was happening to Kaoru. Kenshin, his heart racing, ran towards Kaoru's room.  
  
"Kamiya-san! What's wrong?!" asked Kenshin slightly worriedly as he rammed the door open. Inside, revealed Kaoru, sitting up straight, her face in her hands, trying to wipe and muffle the tears pouring out of her face. Kenshin walked towards the saddened girl. Cupper her face in his hands, he told her to stop. Kaoru, blinked several times before she was able to register what was happening. Kenshin was there, comforting her, of all the people, he was the one. He hated her to the bones and she hated him to the bones, why was he comforting her. Kenshin, who was in his full state of mind, was also wondering why he was comforting Kaoru, as if it just felt right. Kenshin really didn't care anymore, as long as this didn't happen tomorrow, or any other day, tonight was just different, Kaoru was crying. Kenshin cropped his icy glare and just hugged her, right then and there. Kaoru, too shocked to even blink, just sat there, surprised at Kenshin's actions. Kenshin was getting groggy; he was intoxicated by the jasmine scent which hung around Kaoru. When he pulled back, he looked at Kaoru, stood up, and walked back to his post. It would be two more hours before it was going to be Kaoru's turn to guard the place.  
  
"Wha-wha-what did he just do?!" thought Kaoru wildly, still trying to analyze earlier's turn of events, "And why did I just not try to push him away when he hugged me?!"  
  
:: + ::  
  
: ~ : The Next Morning : ~ :  
  
Kaoru was already awake. She's been awake for the past four hours, to guard the house. Looking towards the east, she saw that the sun was already rising. She sighed and walked back in, in order to cook breakfast. She was planning on making some rice balls with miso soup for breakfast, tea for drinking. Kenshin would've been awake by now, Sano, probably too tired, would still be asleep until about eight or nine later. It was only five in the morning when she started to cook breakfast. Kenshin walked in, slowly, but walked in nonetheless. Kaoru eyed him suspiciously, remembering all that had happened. Kenshin smirked lightly before approaching Kaoru; his face was inching towards hers. When his face was deadly near Kaoru, his lips brushed past hers, as if to tease her of last night. Automatically, Kaoru slapped him, her left hand over her lips.  
  
"Gotcha," smirked Kenshin as he rubbed his sore cheek before slumping down and waiting for his food. Kaoru just grunted, turned around and continued to cook. Unconsciously, her face was blushing a bright crimson. Kenshin looked at Kaoru's back, still smirking, as if the brushing of lips was part of his devious plan. It was actually. He wanted to continue teasing Kaoru during the remainder of their stay in the Mizuwata Forest, but not the evil sort of teasing, the friendly sort of teasing. For some reason or another, he couldn't bear to tease her the same way he did yesterday and those other days for the past five years. He didn't want to admit having a female as his partner all the time, but what could he do? She was talented, she had the gift, and she was the female version of him.  
  
"God her raven hair looks so pretty with the light resting upon it," thought Kenshin blissfully, as his amethyst eyes locked onto Kaoru's raven tresses, "Wait. Why am I thinking this?! Bah... darn this trip. Darn this mission. When we get back to Katsura, I will blow my top and yell and scream and shout at him for making me do this! Maybe even kill him, but heck, I most probably won't but it'll be fun to threaten him."   
  
Kaoru was still blushing furiously. She didn't want to think of this. She wanted to forget about it, and go on with her life, finish the damned war and go home, ask her parents for forgiveness, even though they'll throw her on the floor and let her die there, pitifully. Tears rolled down her face, silent ones, hitting her palms. Soon, she couldn't hold it anymore, the emotional damn broke. She just started crying. She fell to the floor, and started crying, crying all the fears and pains hidden inside her, crying as if there were no tomorrow.  
  
Kenshin looked at his female counterpart quizzically. "Did I just do something wrong?" thought Kenshin, digging his nail into his skin, "Or maybe it's her dream bothering her again..."  
  
:: + ::  
  
Kamitari: Woo! I hope you liked the chapter! I'm inspired all of a sudden O__o Initiative does wonders. Anyway, I hope that either Kao-chan or I will get the fourth chapter up! See you and please review so the next chapter will be posted ASAP! 


	4. Chapter Four

Kamitari: Chapter four is once more written by meeee. Kao-chan will TRY and update the fic when she can but she's busy. She has so many exams x.x Damned exams... CURSE YOU!!! Anyway... *smoothes clothes* why did Kaoru break down all of a sudden? Why did she just cry? Isn't she supposed to be one of the strongest, most skilled and stealthiest assassins? I'm not asking them... I'm giving you points to ponder on until the end of the chapter, where, hopefully, the answers will be revealed. Hope you like! We will never own RK unless we were people like the dude who has copyright for RK in Sony and Nobuhiro Watsuki. Ah yes, this is mostly a Kenshin's POV sorta chapter. He's battling with the feelings of his heart, and the decisions of his mind n_n; So it's all flash-backy x.x Or maybe not... eh... just read ^^;  
  
Blood Stained Hearts : Battling with my Mind and with my Heart  
  
:: + ::  
  
Kenshin was panic-stricken at the site of Kaoru, just crying there, like a helpless child. Kenshin thought all the while, that for the past five years, he had hated her, he had loathed her, he had wanted to kill her, but his mind was denying his heart of the true feelings he really felt for her. During those long five years, Kenshin wanted to be beside her, be the one she trained with, be the one she depended on, but he couldn't. He was always sent on a mission every time Kaoru had been freed from her training. If he was free on the other hand, she wasn't because she was training. He had always wanted to say how he felt about her, but the fact that he had a reputation of being a cold hearted killer, stopped him from doing so. Was now a good time to say how he really felt about the girl? He looked at her tear-stained face once more before standing up and leaving the kitchen. Kaoru stopped crying for a while, just catching a glimpse of Kenshin's retreating figure, thinking that he didn't care about her, not that she cared for him anyway, and thinking that he didn't want to see an assassin, namely her, cry the tears of her heart out into the open. With that, tears fell from her face and she began crying once more.  
  
:: + ::  
  
"Damn it, why can't I just face my fears?!" cursed Kenshin as he slammed his fist onto the wall in his room. He was there to contemplate his feelings, his heart's feelings, and his mind's thoughts. His eyes were a furious shade of violet; he still wasn't angered, lost and confused. He was just one of the three at the moment.  
  
"Why can't I tell her? Is it because I'm afraid of her? No, that's not possible. Is it because I mocked her during these past five years?! Could be it... Is it because I'm afraid she'll reject me?! Most definitely it," thought Kenshin as he mentally battled with himself, before sitting down in the center of the futon. Kenshin sighed a little as he recalled the countless times he had purposely pissed her off for his enjoyment. At that time, he really didn't know how he felt about her, but after seeing her being so vulnerable, as powerful as she is, he felt strangely different around her, as if he wanted to right all the wrongs ever done to her.  
  
"Gah... why now... why not after the war?!" growled Kenshin as he slammed his fist on the floor. Kaoru's tears and sobs were still heard in the place, maybe not for Sano since he was still asleep. Kenshin felt slightly bad slightly not caring at all what was happening, he was in serious need of SOME psychological help.  
  
"Where's the god damned psychological help when you need it?!" cursed Kenshin out loud as he clenched his fists even tighter.  
  
:: + :: Mental Argument :: + ::  
  
"BAKA DESHI!" yelled an oh so familiar voice in his mind.  
  
"Shi-shi-shishou?! What are YOU doing here?! I left the mountain at least five years ago!" cried out Kenshin.  
  
"Eh... what can I say... I'm just a disembodied thought faraway from my true origin... anyway... YOU ARE AN IDIOT! Why did you leave for the war when I specifically told you NOT to," growled Hiko.  
  
"Because I believed in it! HECK! Kamiya sacrificed her family's love for her in order to pursue her beliefs!" shot back Kenshin.  
  
"That's exactly what you did right? Except this time, I'm not exactly your father, or anyone related to you," growled Hiko.  
  
"What?! Just because I did it to doesn't mean that it's all my fault on why she's crying!!!" growled Kenshin.  
  
"It is, in a sense. You didn't treat her the way she needed to be treated."  
  
"But she treats me exactly the same way I treat her!"  
  
"Because that's how you WANT to be treated, as if you were mere nothingness, Kamiya on the other hand has a more fragile heart!"  
  
"Gee... I wonder how this helps me... anyway... I'm still NOT changing how I feel about her... she's not my type."  
  
"Then what is your type?"  
  
"Well... you know... those girls who are-- Hey... wait a minute... I DON'T HAVE A THING FOR GIRLS!!! Goodbye shishou," grumbled Kenshin as he blocked all thoughts coming from Hiko. Kenshin's violet eyes looked in the direction of the kitchen, where Kaoru would probably still be by now, crying. Either that or her tears were subsiding. He spent the next hour or two contemplating on his thoughts and feelings for the female assassin whom he was always forced to work with.  
  
:: + ::  
  
Kenshin, for some reason, fell asleep, dreaming about a certain raven haired girl. Everything he thought about, seemed to be connected to her, and his mind wandered to her face, to her eyes, to her voice, never to her smile. She never smiled, not once, and if she did, no one was ever alive to tell the others how it looked like... except for her parents, who were somewhere there, in Japan, probably never wanting to talk about their only daughter, who became an assassin, and killed countless lives without mercy.  
  
"Damn it," mumbled Kenshin as he snapped awake. He didn't want to think about her, he didn't want anything to do with her, but whatever he thought or did, it was always somehow connected to Kaoru. He shook his head, trying to remove all thoughts of the other assassin, but to his disappointment, and maybe to his delight as well, he couldn't remove his mind off of her.   
  
"Why the hell am I thinking about HER? I mean... I could be thinking of a way to get out of here but no... It just has to be about HER!" cursed Kenshin as he rubbed his temples. He still couldn't stop thinking about her. Everything, as if he couldn't live without her.  
  
"GAH! Can't I just think about something else?!" growled Kenshin out loud. This time, Kaoru had heard him. Her tears had subsided though her face was still tear-stained since she was too tired to wipe her face dry. Kaoru looked over to where Kenshin was staying as she stood up. She looked around desperately for a damp cloth to wash her face with. Finding one, she took it and wiped her face clean of any tear stains before walking over to where Kenshin was.  
  
"What are you trying to forget, Himura?" asked Kaoru with a somewhat cold voice, as if she forgot all about earlier.  
  
"Nothing you should bother yourself with, Kamiya," replied Kenshin nonchalantly. When she had called him 'Himura' rather than Kenshin, he felt a pang of pain course through his body. He didn't understand why it happened but all he knew was that it did.  
  
"Fine, just trying to be concerned," taunted Kaoru slightly, noticing the fact that he was going soft, a little softer than usual anyway.  
  
"You don't need to care about me. I don't need someone's support to stand, unlike you," replied Kenshin as he closed his eyes and crossed his arms. Kaoru grimaced at his words. She walked up to him and slapped him on the face, really hard.  
  
"I may need emotional support as you don't know how rickety my childhood was before this war but that doesn't mean people like you can torture me about it. I lost everything, everything, because of what I believe in. I lost my mom, my dad, my home. Now, even after the war is over, I DON'T HAVE A HOME TO GO TO! I lost it all because I wanted to do what I thought was right. I can tell why my father doesn't want me back in Tokyo... because I'm using the Kamiya Kasshin Ryuu for killing, rather than protecting the lives of the oppressed and helpless!" spat Kaoru angrily as tears started to blur her vision once more. Kenshin rubbed his sore cheek slightly. Sighing, he too snapped.  
  
"Well, YOU DON'T KNOW HOW IT IS TO SEE YOUR FAMILY MASSACRED RIGHT IN FRONT OF YOUR EYES!" spat Kenshin angrily as he stood up to face the other assassin.  
  
"You on the other hand don't know how hard it is to be accepted here! You're not a girl! I am! People prefer to have men do their bidding! I'm a girl! PLEASE! It took me FIVE goddamn years for people to know I'm just as good as everyone! I'm just as good as you!" snapped Kaoru.  
  
"You don't know how it is to leave a school and not finish it completely! Heck! I may be the best assassin the Ishin Shishi has got along with you but unlike you, I HAVEN'T FINISHED THE HITEN MITSURUGI RYUU! I never learned the Ama Kakeru Ryuno Hirameki, its succession technique!"  
  
"Yes! But at least your master isn't your immediate family! Don't you know how much it hurts when they say they don't love you anymore?! When I went to Tokyo, alone, on another mission, I went to the house of my family quietly and spied on them! I sat on a tree and I watched them. That was last year; on the day I left home to join the Ishin Shishi. They were burning my things, they were forgetting all about me! DON'T YOU KNOW HOW MUCH IT HURTS?!" snapped Kaoru as she clenched her fists tightly.  
  
"Unfortunately, I don't, but you weren't nearly sold to pirates now were you?" snapped Kenshin angrily. With that, Kaoru just burst into tears once more, her heart needing some serious mending. Kenshin just looked at her, slightly pained at the fact that he, again, caused her to cry.  
  
"Why am I feeling this way towards her? As if I want to hold her in my arms, and comfort her, to forget everything and anything bad that happened or is happening to her," said Kenshin mentally as he looked at the sobbing girl. Unconsciously, Kenshin walked towards Kaoru, kneeled in front of her, and just hugged her, not really knowing what to do. Kaoru looked at the blackness in front of her, which wasn't so black because she saw strands of red here and there.  
  
"Ken--shin?" murmured Kaoru softly as the tears began to subside once more. Kenshin just sighed and hushed her and let her continue crying on his chest. He felt slightly happy that he was doing this. Soon, Kaoru pushed him lightly aside, curiosity filling her face.  
  
"Why did you do that?" asked Kaoru quietly as she pressed the damp cloth once more onto her face.  
  
"I don't know... it felt right... after treating you the way I did for five years..." replied Kenshin quietly as he sat down in his place. Kaoru only nodded briefly before remembering how good it felt to be in his arms, as if she belonged there. She blushed slightly at the thought before rising and leaving the room.   
  
Kenshin looked at her retreating figure and sighed, "At least she's not THAT mad at me anymore..."  
  
:: + :: Ishin Shishi Headquarters :: + ::  
  
"YOU WHAT?!" shouted Katsura as he slammed his fist on the table.  
  
"We-we-we-we- left them in the Mizuwata forest," said a much younger yet capable assassin.  
  
"WHY DID YOU DO THAT?! WHO KNOWS WHAT'LL HAPPEN?! THAT'S THE FOREST NO ONE CAN FREE THEMSELVES FROM!!!" snapped Katsura as he slammed his fist repeatedly on the table, "Who knows that the Shinsengumi scum are going to plan to do to us next! They know that with those two out of the way, it'll be easier to slay the next official we were assigned to protect!"  
  
"I'll go fetch them from the forest," piped in a man who had a grin plastered inwardly.  
  
"What?! You?! ICHIRO?! I might as well bet my life with the Shinsengumi if you think I'll assign to you to find Battousai and Kurai no Musume!" said Katsura in rage. He never said their real names openly to most of the assassins. He, Kenshin and Kaoru were the only ones who really were ever able to call them by their first names. The others would just call Kenshin, Battousai or Himura and they would call Kaoru, Kurai no Musume or Kamiya, never Kenshin or Kaoru respectively.  
  
"But I can handle this, Katsura! I know I can! Only if you give me a chance!" argued Ichiro.  
  
"No, you don't know how much the Ishin Shishi needs them. I need to assign someone of their level or close to it, not someone who just started working for us. Tough luck Ichiro but I can't assign you on this... you can't even be part of the group that will go with the person I'm assigning this to," said Katsura, "Iwata, go with nine other assassins to Mizuwata Forest and be sure you don't come back here without Battousai and Kurai no Musume." The man called Iwata nodded. He summoned nine other assassins of his level. He bowed respectfully in front of Katsura as did the other nine before leaving the place.  
  
"Why can't I go, Katsura?!" said Ichiro as he looked back at the older man.  
  
"Because, you're an easy target for the Shinsengumi and one mistake could be fatal," growled Katsura, "Go on, go sharpen your skills, you have a mission to prepare for." Ichiro nodded stiffly as he walked to where he would be practicing his sword skills. As soon as he stepped out of the room, he groaned and continued walking to where he would be practicing... that is... until he bumped into a certain raven haired doctor.  
  
"Gomen, Ichiro-san," said Ameyama as she bowed slightly. Ichiro just shrugged it off leaving Ameyama to pick up her fallen materials.  
  
"I sometimes wonder what he has in mind," said Ameyama to herself as she picked the materials up and set them down in the box she was carrying.  
  
:: + :: Mizuwata Forest :: + ::  
  
The tension that used to fill Kenshin and Kaoru's feelings for each other disappeared more as time passed on. They were somewhat able to say hello to each other, without one of them snapping. It felt slightly good to the both of them to be able to talk together freely. Sano, the boy from yesterday, decided that he was going to stay somewhere else, probably a more peaceful place so he packed his very few things, along with a lunch that Kaoru prepared for him and left the lives of the two, probably forever, probably not, who knows, they might meet again somewhere in the future.  
  
"Kenshin?" asked Kaoru as she wiped some beads of sweat off of her forehead. Kenshin didn't answer. He was looking longingly at her; he wanted to make her his own territory.  
  
"Kenshin?" asked Kaoru again, this time, directing her attention to the red haired assassin. Kenshin still didn't answer. He stood up, and walked cautiously towards her. Kaoru was looking nervously at the stronger assassin as he bent his head down slightly and captured her lips in his own, not brushing past them anymore. Kaoru instinctively put her hands on his chest, as if she was going to push him away, but no, they just remained there. Good thing that Kaoru was just boiling water, or else, they'd be in big trouble if the food burnt.  
  
:: + ::  
  
Kamitari: Gomen! Gomen! Gomen! Gomen for making you wait! Yesh! I know! The ending is sappy ^^; And Kenshin fell in love too quickly, can't really say the same for Kaoru but eh, they knew each other for five years and if you read the earlier portions, Kenshin fell in love with her during those five years, just that he couldn't be with her whenever he was free or whenever she was free and don't forget about his reputation being cold-hearted assassin! Anyway, I hope you liked this chapter and review onegai! If you read my random ramblings, please put 'Sakabatou' at the end of your review or something n_n;;; Now press that button! 


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